#maybe he requests that specifically mike model for him. maybe they meet at a show and get along but mike doesn't reveal who he is | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

catharrington · 4 years

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Vanilla Cake and Strawberry Ice Cream.

My first fic requested by donation to Harringrove for BLM. Anon asked for a simple prompt. “Billy trying his best to do something nice for Max's birthday, thus surprising both her, himself and just about everyone else ...? Just, something nice and sweet, because I think we need nice things now.” Anon your iconic and I love your brain. Please enjoy!!!

***

What he’s struggling with was still two weeks off, but Billy was getting nervous. He doesn’t get nervous. Yet when he does, like right now as he flicks a magazine nervously glossy page by glossy page through his calloused fingers, he loathes it.

Nothing was catching him like he thought it would. The pictures, the pretty singers and models in their flashy jewelry and clothing, all ran together.

Propping himself up on one elbow, he stretched out one leg while keeping the other bent. Felt cranky and cramped as he started from the top of the magazine again. Then two sharp knocks jarred his focus. And there was only two seconds before his door opened to Max’s head of wild hair.

“Hey, idiot!” She paused as he watches him scramble to shove the magazine under his ass. Billy grumbles while trying to act casual, it doesn’t really work.

“Yeah, whatever,” Max starts again, “Mom says you have to give me a ride to the arcade! And I’m leaving like now- so...,”

Billy groans out, running his hand down his flushed face, “I’ll be out be in 5,” he points at her with a sharp look. “Now get out of my room, shit bird!”

She slammed the door with a huge swoosh of wind and a click. Billy rolled off his bed with an equally loud thump. He pulled the magazine now crumpled out from under his blanket and shoved it deep into his closet. Running his hands through his hair, then he toed in his boots. His shirt was unbuttoned down farther than he usually has it, Billy only smirked as he left it open.

He walked out to the living room and jingled his keys in Max’s sour face to get her to follow out to the Camaro.

The arcade was packed. Billy snarled his top lip as he parked and got out. He figured with the bright sunlight beating down they would be at a park, or the community swimming pool, not clambering to get inside a dimly lit arcade. But he only narrowed his eyes through his golden aviators as Max ran to join her group of friends inside.

Billy let his eyes travel farther up the strip mall. There were a few shops dotting the line up, a couple empty ones and a bustling Family Video, and the one that caught Billy’s eye. A quaint looking boutique labeled ‘In Style Girls’ across the top in curling cursive writing.

Billy had his hands shoved deep into his jeans back pockets, acting casual as he took the sidewalk to peer into the glass. But it was the same as the magazine. The cluttered racks of clothes and jumbled rows of clunky jewelry all ran together for him. A cashier was inside applying bright red lipstick, and he considered maybe that could be an idea for a gift, but he wasn’t ready for that.

He doesn’t notice as Max sneaks back out of the Palace Arcade to press herself along the brick walls and spy on him. The party follows, Lucas, Dustin, Mike, then slightly timid at the end follows Will.

They listen intently as Max rants. “He’s got some weird thing happening. Like he’s- shopping for a girlfriend. It’s gross.”

Mike scoffs. “Why is that gross?”

Lucas nods at her shoulder. “Yeah, getting gifts is pretty normal for a couple Max, I get you gifts all the time?”

“No, stalker,” Max huffs. She rolls her eyes at them and turns back to see Billy all but pressing his nose to the glass of the ladies’ boutique. “This is Billy. He doesn’t do gifts or romance. I would know. He’s never bought gifts for my birthday or like Christmas. And oh- he really doesn’t do long term girlfriends!”

“Who’s got a girlfriend?” The party jumps almost in sync as Steve speaks up. He’s fitted himself behind Will, who didn’t notice he was there, and was watching the party curiously over the top of a can of coke.

“Hey Steve,” Will greets meekly, knowing his job as the look out was a bust.

Max straightens up from the wall. Trying to act casual, and mostly failing just like Billy had. “No one, what’s it matter to you?” Max snaps at him as she starts back to the arcade.

Steve blinks. Mike and Lucas sigh as they try and fill him in. “Billy,” they say in sync then Lucas continues, “she’s obsessed with how he’s been acting weird lately.”

Steve furrows his brows. “How has he been acting weird?” he asks.

Dustin snorts laughter like a pig as he follows back into the arcade, doesn’t notice as Steve lingers in the doorway. “Doesn’t he always act weird? He’s a douchebag.”

The party shares a good laugh at that before trotting back into the blinking lights of the dark arcade. Steve stays behind to watch as Billy jumps down from the curb and stomps across the parking lot to get back into his Camaro. This time, he’s the one who jumps when Will speaks up at his shoulder.

“It’s not polite to stare, y’know? Not supposed to be caught looking too long.” Will speaks low and quiet, says it secretive. Makes Steve’s skin chill with goosebumps. He knows, maybe too well, he isn’t supposed to stare. He only shrugs in reply, taking a long swig of his cold coke, then walks away from the younger Byers.

Steve doesn’t ask about Billy again. Takes the looks Will flicks at him every now and again on the chin with no comment. Steve goes to work the next day casually, tries not to think to long about what Billy could be doing. When, just as he’s scolding himself for thinking about it to much, Billy walks right in.

Comes right up to the counter, a white Hawkins pool shirt cut just below his nipples and red swim shorts pulling tight around his thick thighs every time he takes a step. Steve adverts his eyes. Focuses them on the flavor of the day, Extra Strawberry Sunshine, instead of letting his eyes linger.

“Harrington,” Billy’s voice ripped his attention up. “Delivery,” he drawled.

Steve blinked at his baby blue eyes, took in his curly hair made even frizzier with the fluorescent lights. Drifted down to his sunglasses clipped on the front of his shirt. Bit his lip and forced himself to look farther down at Billy’s outstretched hand holding a folded piece of paper.

Steve tried to smile casually as he plucked the piece of paper. Tried to keep his breath from hitching as Billy’s red hot suntanned fingers brushed his own. Messed up both times, ended up snatching the paper and unraveling it furiously with wide blown black eyes.

The paper had handwritten blocky letters spelling out a date and time for Max’s upcoming birthday party. It read: Must wear something cute! Must bring presents! Steve blew out the side of his mouth in a huff, but smiled as he spotted his name at the top.

“You better show up. Max is pretty adamant about it being a big deal and all. Big 14.” He leaned forward on the counter and kept his voice low as he spoke. “When are we gonna let that rat pack in on the bad news that it’s all down hill from there, pretty boy?”

Steve held his breath. Didn’t reply. Didn’t want to taste too much of banana sunning lotion. Billy leaves with a wave over his shoulder, doesn’t ask for any ice cream. Not surprising with his cut abs, he does have to keep the figure for the ladies. For his girlfriend.

“Oh hey,” Billy spins, watches him over his shoulder, coy smile on his lips, “can you give me directions to the Radio Shack in this damn labyrinth?”

Steve props his head up on the counter with one hand, shoving his fingers into his rosy cheek. “Second level, just off the elevator. You can’t miss it.”

Billy salutes him, “thanks, sailor boy,” before leaving.

Steve groans deep and long thinking about how much he dreads meeting Billy’s girlfriend if he brings her to the party. But also dreads what the party will do to him if he doesn’t go.

So he does, pulls into the Wheeler house where the invite demanded him to be at this specific hour. Steve smiled at Mrs. Wheeler nicely as he pushed past to rush down the steps to their basement. He sighs in relief as he gets to their little set up of colored streamers and half inflated balloons. Letters cut by hand spelling out Happy Birthday taped above the couch. And a lopsided vanilla cake sitting on a table with goofy surfer themed paper plates and napkins next to it.

Steve sets his quart of strawberry ice cream, Extra Strawberry Sunshine, down right next to it. He brought a present, okay, even if it’s food and even if he might have stolen it.

“Steve, my man,” Dustin sighs from where he’s sitting at their card table fumbling with a miniature figurine. “Finally someone who isn’t with their girlfriend.”

That word sends a spike of ice into Steve’s good news. He runs a hand down the back of his neck, forgets its cold from carrying the ice cream and makes himself shiver.

“Yeah, buddy,” he swallows thickly.

Doesn’t know what to say. Turns his gaze to the ceiling as heavy boots fall on wood.

Upstairs the party is pulling a few things from Mike’s room, a couple dungeon manuals and a few extra chairs from the kitchen when the door rasps. Mrs. Wheeler is there to open it with a kitten’s grin as she steps aside for Billy and Max. He smiles right back, brilliant white teeth and wrinkles around his blue eyes melting Mike’s mom right to the ground as he walks past.

They both head to the stairs, Max leading with taking two steps at a time and Billy slower. Letting the rest of the children flow in as they wish Max happy birthday’s.

As the party descends on their card table and set up extra chairs, circling around a small mountain of gifts, chanting something like ‘open them quick so we can eat the cake’, Steve takes a few steps towards Billy.

“Hey,” he greets cooly.

“Hey,” Billy bids back. His hands buried in his denim jacket.

Steve shuffles around, glancing left and right like he’s looking for something. For someone.

“Harrington?” Billy leans closer, shoulder checks him, maybe in a way to bully but to Steve it made his heart flutter. “What’s up?”

“Your- uh, Thought this party was a big deal, and your girlfriend couldn’t make it?” Steve keeps his eyes focused on the kids.

From next to him he can hear Billy rolling his eyes. Stomping around in his big boots as he moves into Steve’s line of sight. “What would make you think-,”

“Hey, jerks,” Steve whips his head away from Billy’s serious eyes like he got caught. He sees Dustin motioning them over. “All the presents then we can eat cake!”

Steve moves past Billy, holding his breath from the onslaught of cologne, and points to the ice cream. “You nerds didn’t notice a whole tub of Max’s favorite flavor? It’s right there!”

Max picks up a piece of wrapping paper trash thrown across the table and smiles bright as she finds the quart. “Thanks, Steve,” she beams.

Billy is suddenly right at Steve’s side, breath close enough to ghost down his arm and over his tshirt sleeve to his naked skin. “Don’t get too excited until you unwrap mine, Maxine.” He finally takes his hands out of his pockets and shows a messy wrapped gift. Max looks confused, Billy is blushing and not making eye contact. But she reaches forward and takes the present.

Plucks the orange wrapping paper off one tape piece at a time. She pulls out a Sony Walkman glossy and new, with a gaudy neon design her eyes just light up for. And under it, as she picks the Walkman up gently, a cassette of Madonna falls into her hand. She smirks out one side of her mouth, rolls her eyes. Says, “thanks, idiot,” with a fond tone.

Billy doesn’t reply, just sucks his tongue over the top of his teeth and shrugs. The party pulls Max by her shoulder and reminds her it’s time to cut the cake.

Billy’s still standing shoulder to shoulder with Steve. Still breathing hard and heavy, smelling good. Not moving for any cake. Steve swallows the spit gathering in his mouth. Doesn’t want to get his hopes up too much, but he has to ask. Thinks briefly about Robin’s tally board as he flicks his hair over his forehead and steadies his voice.

“So the shopping, and directions to radio shack? That was all for Max? No...,” Steve tips his head, let’s his breath be the one ghosting over Billy’s turned up jacket collar, “no girlfriend?”

Billy rolled his head back on his shoulders, flexing under Steve’s attention. “No girlfriend,” he confirms quietly.

Then he turned to meet pretty brown eyes, sparkling with a promise like ocean water at sunrise. Gives Steve a vanilla cake sweet smile.

“Hum, Interesting, Hargrove,” Steve smiles back cool as strawberry ice cream melting down the side of a waffle cone in the afternoon sun.

#harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #harringrove fic #my fic #harringrove fanfic #steve/billy #harringrove for blm

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